En-suite with no window

S

Shawady

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Has anyone here fitted an en-suite with no window?

We live in a 3 bed house with no en-suite and would like to have one, but the location where we have the space to do it would be in the middle of the house and a window would not be possible.

Just wondering if anyone has seen a bathroom like this or could suggest potential pitfalls with it?
 
We have an ensuite in the house we are currently in without a window. I would prefer a window as the air gets a bit stagnant, there is a fan fitted which turns on automatically with the light. But it works fine. It is in the spare room so it is not used much
 
A window might be possible. Look into the possibility of a shaft to the roof, and fitting a roof light.
 
I have an en-suite with no window and as a poster said above no problem, again its a spare room and I have another en-suite with a velux window very high up in the roof with a tunnel down which we can open/close with a cord control.

In preference I would go with a window for light if at all possible, natural light makes such a difference let alone opening the window and no noise from the fan.
 
any en-suite like this should be fitted with an automatic mechanical fan that has the ability to overrun (by 15mins as per regs, but longer may be required).....

for light, IMHO a sun tunnel (or 2) may be a better idea than a shafted rooflight...
 
If you do go for a windowless ensuite don't go for a fan that is connected to the light. It's much better to keep them separate so that you can switch on the light without the fan - the fan is a waste of electricity if you don't need it when just washing hands, shaving etc. Also very noisy if using the bathroom in the middle of the night.
 
pebbledash said:
If you do go for a windowless ensuite don't go for a fan that is connected to the light. It's much better to keep them separate so that you can switch on the light without the fan - the fan is a waste of electricity if you don't need it when just washing hands, shaving etc. Also very noisy if using the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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Be very careful about giving advice that may cause a layperson to unintentionally install a system that may breach the building regulations.

I'm sure there's an argument to be made for limited action of the fan, but that's the price the powers-that-be have decreed is to be paid for the convenience of an internal ensuite.

:)
 
pebbledash said:
If you do go for a windowless ensuite don't go for a fan that is connected to the light. It's much better to keep them separate so that you can switch on the light without the fan - the fan is a waste of electricity if you don't need it when just washing hands, shaving etc. Also very noisy if using the bathroom in the middle of the night.
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stream needs to be expelled, whether washing hands, shaving, showering etc...

this has been dealt with through the building regs, and as ong says, this must be complied with...

if noise is an issue, purchase one with a low noise factor.... but most importantly, clean the fan regularly..... the build up of dust is one of the major factors causing fans to be noisy...
 
onq said:
Be very careful about giving advice that may cause a layperson to unintentionally install a system that may breach the building regulations:)
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From reading pebbledash's post I would have thought that they were doing the exact opposite to what you say i.e. they are giving good advice.
 
Sue Ellen said:
From reading pebbledash's post I would have thought that they were doing the exact opposite to what you say i.e. they are giving good advice.
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Perhaps I was unclear Sue Ellen :)

Advising someone to omit something required by the building regulations, namely a light-switch operated bathroom/en-suite vent with a 15 minute overrun because of cost or noise is not good advice.
There is an argument to be made, sure, but rendering the house non-compliant isn't the way to do it.

Am I the only one able to go to the loo in the dark?
Don't worry, its a Ninja thing...
Buy a flashlight.
 
sydthebeat said:
stream needs to be expelled, whether washing hands, shaving, showering etc...

this has been dealt with through the building regs, and as ong says, this must be complied with...

if noise is an issue, purchase one with a low noise factor.... but most importantly, clean the fan regularly..... the build up of dust is one of the major factors causing fans to be noisy...
Click to expand...

Okay! Thats it! I'm changing the nic!

Its ONQ!!!

Seriously tho' I once had to address this very noise issue - in a tea room in an office fit out for for barristers, no less, and the solution was a simple one, as you suggested - buy a quiet fan.
They aren't that much dearer and you really don't notice it in operation.

<oh wait, I'll just sign the nic instead of changing it...>

HTH

onq

<there>
 
Ok, could be hung for this, but live in an apartment block built in 06.

All main bathrooms and ensuites in development don't have windows and all are fitted with a light switch operated fan which can be turned on/off at will. Override switch is 6ft high on top of the door.

There are instances - going to loo/wash hands/shave/put make up on/look in mirrors etc etc that really the fan does not need to be on when in bathroom. It does distrub both the resident and other neighbours. The fan also does not have a off timer, ie 15 mins etc unless it is on and the light is turned off. But when light is on and fan is on, the fan can be on until it is switched off by either override switch or the light.

The building complies with regs at time.

Many neighbours actually use fan for baths & showers but not for normal activities which will not create dampness.
Some people that I know, upgraded to this development and while lost other features do actually agree with this one.

I've no mould and no problems though other neighbours do but that is internal ventilation problem and mainly due to having wet clothes in apt (not using dyer cycle) and not opening windows and balcony doors when can.

Not putting a fan in would be against regs but not allowing it to be turned off when not necessary surely isn't against regs?
 
Aurnia said:
<snip>
Not putting a fan in would be against regs but not allowing it to be turned off when not necessary surely isn't against regs?
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Well, as I said the argument can be made, but as far as I know, the overrun cannot be disconnected compliantly.

There may be good reasons for having an isolation switch - Health and Safety concerns during cleaning the fan, for example.

However with apartment living I think it is a good thing to leave it do the 15 minutes.

BTW, the damp problems you mention could arise because of a cold inner wall, i.e. a vented but uninsulated service duct running behind the bathroom.

:)

FWIW

onq
 
to onq... apologies :D

to Aurina and others....

connecting the fan to the light switch is a very reasonable system. As you say, most systems like this now have an isolation switch for the fan above the door....

but if you are washing hands / shaving / putting make up on / going to the loo in the middle of the night.... why dont you just use the shaver light??
 
Live in an apartment eight years ago where the main bathroom had a fan fitted to the outside wall but not enough room for a window. Worst thing about it was the noise when on and cold so my now husband sealed it up with newpaper and silicone and powered it off. we opened it up every summer but I wouldn't recommend even an ensuite with no window.
We have a tiny window in our ensuite as I wanted a larger shower and the orginal window on the plans had to go, its only 300mm wide and a half opening section. All u need is the fresh air.
 
You can buy fans with moisture detectors so they only run if there is actually steam to be expelled and stop as soon as it is reduced to a suitable level.
 
onq said:
Well, as I said the argument can be made, but as far as I know, the overrun cannot be disconnected compliantly.

There may be good reasons for having an isolation switch - Health and Safety concerns during cleaning the fan, for example.

However with apartment living I think it is a good thing to leave it do the 15 minutes.

BTW, the damp problems you mention could arise because of a cold inner wall, i.e. a vented but uninsulated service duct running behind the bathroom.

:)

onq
Click to expand...

15 mins - naturally. I keep my light on and fan on and use isolator switch to turn on and off at all times.

True enough on the damp - though most problems I've heard about here is actually internal ventilation problems, ie not having vent open at window, having damp clothes in apt and people not using the dryer cycle to get most moisture out putting wet clothes on rads (when rads and heating are on) and some people not opening windows for some portion of the day during winter.
 
sydthebeat said:
to onq... apologies :D

but if you are washing hands / shaving / putting make up on / going to the loo in the middle of the night.... why dont you just use the shaver light??
Click to expand...

That only works if you have shaver light but it also means going into the bathroom first for most people!;)

Speaking for myself - I've no shaver light. I'm a girlie. Btw did ya know a lot of shavers are battery operated (or semi) these days! :D

But you are right in saying the isolator switch with a light operated fan is a good and reasonable system.
A lot of neighbours and myself are happy with the isolator switch. :)
 
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